Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites

Aimee Patrice Little; Emily Hunter; Anđa  Petrović; Aija  Macāne; Ivars  Strautnieks; Laimdota  Kalniņa; Elisabeth  Holmqvist; Diederik  Pomstra; Helen Goodchild; Ana  Harto Villén; Ilga  Zagorska; Kerkko  Nordqvist; Mark Roland Edmonds

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-66854-9

Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites

Aimee Patrice Little^*, Emily Hunter, Anđa Petrović, Aija Macāne, Ivars Strautnieks, Laimdota Kalniņa, Elisabeth Holmqvist, Diederik Pomstra, Helen Goodchild, Ana Harto Villén, Ilga Zagorska, Kerkko Nordqvist, Mark Roland Edmonds

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Despite their ubiquity, Mesolithic lithic tools given as funerary offerings have rarely been studied in detail. Whereas personal ornaments (e.g. beads, pendants) are commonly interpreted as markers of social identity and status, archaeologists have struggled to understand the stone tools, commonly regarded as “utilitarian” items. As a result, this class of grave goods has not received the same level of attention, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of Mesolithic mortuary behaviours. Our research challenges long-lasting perceptions of lithic tools as strictly utilitarian objects and draws on studies of one of the most substantial stone axe funerary collections from one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe–Zvejnieki, Latvia. Evidence suggests the selection of unused axes as grave offerings, while unusual wear traces on an axe found in a female grave (no 57) raises questions about its use in the burial rites. Using a multi-proxy approach, we compare life histories of axes placed in burials to those recovered from contemporary, nearby settlement contexts. Finally, a strong correlation between axes and women and children at Zvejnieki challenges gendered stereotypes of stone tools, historically regarded as possessions of the adult male members of Stone Age societies.

Original language	English
Article number	16219
Number of pages	13
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66854-9
Publication status	Published - 13 Jul 2024

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10.1038/s41598-024-66854-9Licence: CC BY

Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites
© 2024, The Author(s)
Final published version, 3.1 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites",

abstract = "Despite their ubiquity, Mesolithic lithic tools given as funerary offerings have rarely been studied in detail. Whereas personal ornaments (e.g. beads, pendants) are commonly interpreted as markers of social identity and status, archaeologists have struggled to understand the stone tools, commonly regarded as “utilitarian” items. As a result, this class of grave goods has not received the same level of attention, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of Mesolithic mortuary behaviours. Our research challenges long-lasting perceptions of lithic tools as strictly utilitarian objects and draws on studies of one of the most substantial stone axe funerary collections from one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe–Zvejnieki, Latvia. Evidence suggests the selection of unused axes as grave offerings, while unusual wear traces on an axe found in a female grave (no 57) raises questions about its use in the burial rites. Using a multi-proxy approach, we compare life histories of axes placed in burials to those recovered from contemporary, nearby settlement contexts. Finally, a strong correlation between axes and women and children at Zvejnieki challenges gendered stereotypes of stone tools, historically regarded as possessions of the adult male members of Stone Age societies.",

author = "Little, {Aimee Patrice} and Emily Hunter and An{\d}a Petrovi{\'c} and Aija Macāne and Ivars Strautnieks and Laimdota Kalniņa and Elisabeth Holmqvist and Diederik Pomstra and Helen Goodchild and {Harto Vill{\'e}n}, Ana and Ilga Zagorska and Kerkko Nordqvist and Edmonds, {Mark Roland}",

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AU - Little, Aimee Patrice

AU - Hunter, Emily

AU - Petrović, Anđa

AU - Macāne, Aija

AU - Strautnieks, Ivars

AU - Kalniņa, Laimdota

AU - Holmqvist, Elisabeth

AU - Pomstra, Diederik

AU - Goodchild, Helen

AU - Harto Villén, Ana

AU - Zagorska, Ilga

AU - Nordqvist, Kerkko

AU - Edmonds, Mark Roland

PY - 2024/7/13

Y1 - 2024/7/13

N2 - Despite their ubiquity, Mesolithic lithic tools given as funerary offerings have rarely been studied in detail. Whereas personal ornaments (e.g. beads, pendants) are commonly interpreted as markers of social identity and status, archaeologists have struggled to understand the stone tools, commonly regarded as “utilitarian” items. As a result, this class of grave goods has not received the same level of attention, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of Mesolithic mortuary behaviours. Our research challenges long-lasting perceptions of lithic tools as strictly utilitarian objects and draws on studies of one of the most substantial stone axe funerary collections from one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe–Zvejnieki, Latvia. Evidence suggests the selection of unused axes as grave offerings, while unusual wear traces on an axe found in a female grave (no 57) raises questions about its use in the burial rites. Using a multi-proxy approach, we compare life histories of axes placed in burials to those recovered from contemporary, nearby settlement contexts. Finally, a strong correlation between axes and women and children at Zvejnieki challenges gendered stereotypes of stone tools, historically regarded as possessions of the adult male members of Stone Age societies.

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